Unless I Wash You
John 13:1–17, 31b–35
Maundy Thursday — April 2, 2026
Life in Christ Lutheran Church — Grand Marais, Minnesota
“Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
John 13:1, ESV
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Jesus knew that His hour had come… having loved His own… He loved them to the end.
Jesus knows everything that is happening here. Nothing is hidden from Him. He knows Judas. He knows Peter. And most importantly, He knows the cross.
He has every reason to reject all of it.
But the text says:
“Having loved His own… He loved them to the end.”
His love is perfect. It is not based on worthiness. It is not based on loyalty. It is not based on potential.
These disciples are full of weakness and failure. Judas will betray Him. Peter will deny Him. The others will flee.
And still He loves them.
His love moves Him toward betrayal, suffering, and death.
Then comes one of the most astonishing moments in all of Scripture.
Jesus rises from supper, takes a towel, kneels down, and begins washing the disciples’ feet.
It makes no sense.
The Teacher should not be washing feet. They should be washing His.
But Jesus turns everything upside down.
The Master becomes the servant.
He kneels before them.
He stoops down into their filth.
This is more than humility.
This is an exchange.
Jesus is not merely giving a moral example. He is showing what the cross means.
He will stoop lower still.
He will take upon Himself the filth of the world’s sin.
He will serve them by giving everything.
Peter reacts strongly:
“You shall never wash my feet.”
Peter resists being served.
That is the real issue.
Peter does not want to be helpless. He does not want grace. He does not want to receive what he cannot earn.
And neither do we.
Our sinful nature always wants control. We want to contribute something. We want to believe we can help save ourselves.
But Jesus pushes directly against all of that.
“I am serving you. You have nothing to add. I am doing it all.”
Then Jesus says something absolute:
“If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me.”
That cuts against everything we naturally believe about ourselves.
No washing.
No service from Jesus.
No part in Christ.
Jesus is not really talking about feet.
He is talking about salvation.
Without being served by Jesus, there is no forgiveness.
Then Jesus says:
“The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet…”
Jesus does not save you once and then leave you alone.
The bathing He speaks about is Holy Baptism. Through Baptism and faith, you are washed completely.
This washing is not merely physical.
Dirt is removed outwardly.
Sin is removed spiritually.
Jesus says:
“You belong to Me. You are clean.”
But while you live in this world, you still need continual cleansing.
You still sin.
You still carry dirt.
You still need Christ to serve you.
You cannot maintain your own spiritual condition. You cannot try harder and cleanse yourself.
And so Jesus continues serving you.
When He washes the disciples’ feet, He is pointing toward the cross and toward His Supper.
The Lord’s Supper is not you recommitting yourself to Jesus.
It is Jesus continually serving you.
It is Christ washing you again and again with forgiveness.
You do not come to the altar trying to become clean.
You come because Christ keeps you clean.
Then comes the warning:
“Not all of you are clean…”
Judas is still there.
Betrayal is sitting at the table.
Evil is present among them.
And still Jesus gives.
The Supper is not for the worthy.
It is for sinners.
If sinners did not need forgiveness, there would be no reason for the meal at all.
Then Jesus says:
“Now is the Son of Man glorified…”
And again He is speaking about the cross.
But Jesus defines glory differently than the world does.
His glory is not worldly triumph or political power.
His glory is serving sinners through suffering and death.
The disciples—and we ourselves—see the glory of Christ most clearly when He is betrayed, handed over, crucified, and dying for the world.
Then Jesus gives the new commandment:
“Love one another…”
But this is not a command to earn salvation.
You love because Jesus first loved you.
You serve because you have first been served.
That is Christian love.
Just as Jesus stooped down to wash feet, just as He served the world by giving His life, so Christians live lives of sacrificial service toward one another.
And even now, Jesus continues serving you.
Through the preached Word.
Through Holy Baptism.
Through His body and blood.
He knows your sin.
And still He kneels.
Still He serves.
Still He gives Himself.
On the night He was betrayed, Jesus did not ask for your service.
He gave you His.
Unless He serves you, you have no part in Him.
And tonight, He does.
Amen.
The peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
